Ladder



(No Model.)

J. T. OBRIEN.

LADDER.

- Patented Oct. '7, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. OBRIEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,936, dated October 7, 1890.

Application filed January 24:, 1890. Serial No. 337,986. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. OBRIEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsyl vania, have invented a new and useful 1mprovement in Ladders, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

My invention consists of a ladder which is formed in sections or lengths, having means for firmly connecting the same, and adapted to be disposed in the form of a scaffold.

It further consists of stays for bracing the sides or lengths of the ladder.

It also consists in providing the ladder with a platform and means for adj ustably supporting the same.

It also consists of a novel manner of bracing the rounds of the ladder.

It also consists of means for leveling the ladder when set on irregular places.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a ladder embodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 represent side elevations of detached portions thereo Fig. 3 being partly sectional. Fig. at represents an enlarged view of part of one of the legs, the hinges thereof, and side stay. Fig. 5 represents a vertical section of a portion of the ladder. Fig. 6 represents a section on line {B 00, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents a perspective view of the ends the legs of a section of a ladder and the connectinghinges thereof.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates two ladders, which are hinged together at top, the butts or knuckles B of the hinges being connected by bolts 0,.on which are fitted the nuts D, whereby said butts may be tightened and the ladders caused to retain their spreadapart position, (shown in Fig. 1,) the ladder in this case being serviceable as a scafiold.

The ladders are formed in sections, the contiguous ends of which are coupled by hinges E, the butts or knuckles of which are connected by bolts F,which are provided with nuts G, whereby said butts may be tightened on each other when the sections of the lad der are in operative position. The butts of the hinges are also provided with ears H,

through which are passed the bolts J, which are provided with nuts K, said bolts also passing through slotted plates or stays L, which are located at the sides of the legs of the ladder above and below the hinges E, and aretightened by means of the nuts K and bolts J. Bolts M are also passed through the legs and the ends of the plates or stays L, and provided with nuts N for firmly connecting the legs and bracing the latter about the joints of the sections thereof. It is evident that by loosening the several nuts the plates may be readly removed, and when the bolts F are withdrawn the sections of the ladder may be easily separated. 7 Connected with the top of the ladder by means of bolts P are horizontal bars P, whose outer ends are sustained by the diagonal braces Q, whose lower ends are connected with the ladder by means of bolts B, it being noticed that said bars and braces are slotted so that they may be adjusted relatively to each other, thus forming a support or trestle for the platform or shelf S, as seen in Fig. 1.

The stays or plates L at the bottom of the ladder act as legs, which may be raised or lowered for adjusting the ladder when occupying an irregular floor, pavement, &c.

The hinges shown at the top of the ladder are similar to those in Fig. 7, the latter being on an enlarged scale, being thereby more plainly illustrated.

The rounds T are rabbeted or grooved in the direction of their length, and in the rabbets or grooves are fitted rods U, whose ends are secured to the legs of the ladder, said ends having nuts V, whereby the legs and rounds may be tightly connected and the ladder accordingly strengthened.

The legs of the ladder are formed with a series of openings W, whereby the bolts P and braces P and Q may be secured to said legs at difierent heights, and the platform or shelf S accordingly adjusted.

In order to prevent spreading apart of the two lengths of the ladder, I employ slotted or adjustable braces or stays X, which are con nected with the legs of the ladder by bolts Y, the latter being provided with tightening nuts Z.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A ladder having a hinge joining the sections or lengths of the same, the butts of said hinge being connected by an adjustable bolt and provided with ears extending laterally from the hinge proper with a bolt passing through the latter and the legs of the ladder,

. substantially as described.

2. A ladder, in combination with the sliding stay L, mounted across the hinged portion of the legs and parallel with said legs, the bolt F, to secure the hinge of the legs against movement, and the tightening-bolts M for the said stay, substantially as described.

3. A ladder, in combination with the hori- JOHN T. OBRIEN.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERsHEIM, WM. (IVV'IEDERSHEIM. 

